Blog

Wintry Escape

musings / recreational reading

Wintry Escape

One of the best ways to spend a few wintry days is a trip to the Pacific Ocean. I especially love to visit Ocean Shores, WA to enjoy the wild waves the winter storms create. Walking into the wind, feeling the pounding surf in my bones, and then cozying up inside with a fluffy blanket, a good book and hot tea is a dream come true that happened the end of January. Looking out in the daylight to see horsetail waves rearing their manes as they slam onto the sandy beach followed by nighttime views of brave crabbing boat crews...

EPIC Writing Contest for Wasington state residents

Challenge / writing / writing contest

EPIC Writing Contest for Wasington state residents

Enter the **EPIC (Every Person Is Creative) Group Writers contest that opens today, February 1st, 2019. If you are writers in grades 8-12 or adult writers, read the contest rules then submit your prose or poetry to http://www.epicgroupwriters.org The deadline for entering the contest: April 5, 2019. Writers in grades 8-12 may enter free of charge! Cash prizes, online posting of the winning works and a public reading/reception will be held on May 16, 2019 at the Edmonds Public Library Plaza Room. Good Luck, entrants!!   ** EPIC is a non-profit, 501(c) organization based in Edmonds that supports the literary...

Book Lists and Reviews, Oh My!!

an activity / book reviewing / musings

Book Lists and Reviews, Oh My!!

By now you’ve probably spotted the plethora of 2018 published book lists: NYTimes, Great American Read and from the major book sellers. It’s an invigorating time for authors who place their books out with the millions of books printed each year in the US, when they receive support from readers in the form of reviews and/or forwarding of titles to friends and followers in social media. Writing a book is an act of devotion to characters and subjects dear to an author’s heart. It’s months and maybe years of time spent with ideas, critiques, rewrites, and marketing with the goal...

Last Tasman Review Winner

adventure novel / Book Specials / random drawing / Tasman

Last Tasman Review Winner

Susanne Bacon is the final winner of a VISA gift card for reviews written in 2018 for Tasman. She’s a writer from south Puget Sound who writes cozy mysteries that also share her love of cooking. Meeting her is a gift of cheerfulness wrapped in her lovely smile and kindness. Her books reflect her love of story as well as her love of creating delicious food. You may find her stories on Amazon and at book sellers everywhere. Congrats Susanne! Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews for Tasman during 2018. They truly matter and provide a boost in interest from...

Wintry Reading

an activity / book lists / musings / reader suggestions

Wintry Reading

As cuddle and cocoa and lap blanket time arrives, take a trip to the picture book section in your public library to read a few wise-beyond-their-age- group books. We often get so deeply into adult fare that we don’t look back to appreciate the children’s books that line those lower shelves, probably near a fish tank and tiny bean bag chairs; maybe beside a puppet stage or a small, low table circled by tiny chairs. Wander the shelves and pick random books, ask the librarian for suggestions, or look up the ALA (American Library Association)  http://www/ala/alsc/awards-grants-nota/ncb for a list of...

Winter is Coming Soon – Wintry Quotes to Warm You

quotes

Winter is Coming Soon – Wintry Quotes to Warm You

In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy. William Blake   It is the life of the crystal, the architect of the flake, the fire of the frost, the soul of the sunbeam. This crisp winter air is full of it. John Burroughs   While I relish our warm months, winter forms our character and brings out our best. Tom Allen   Winter is the time for comfort, for good food, for warmth, for tyhe touch of a friendly hand… and the time for home. Edith Sitwel

Just for Fun

musings

Just for Fun

The longest word in the English language has 45 letters and is an artificial word. PNEUMONOULTRAMICROSCOPICSILICOVOLCANOCONIOSIS It’s a lung disease caused by inhaling ash and sand dust.   I always thought the longest word was: ANTIDISESTABLISHMENTARIANISM or maybe SMILES because it has a mile between the first and last letters.   Have a wonderful word-filled week!  

Book Event at Neverending Bookstore

Ballet Trilogy / Book events

Book Event at Neverending Bookstore

Join me on Saturday, November 17th at the newest bookshop in the Edmonds-Lynnwood area, The Neverending Bookshop. Join me from 2-3 as I talk about my ballet trilogy and answer your questions. You can also: Meet and Welcome Annie Carl, the owner (a delightful young woman who’s loved books and bookstores since she was a child). Browse her new space. It’s twice the size of her former shop in Bothell. Checkout her ever-increasing supply of new and used books. Sit and relax as you ponder your purchases. Peek inside her Children’s den. Follow her on social media. Contact her online...

The Great American Read – Do You Agree with the Results???

Book events / musings / Voting

The Great American Read – Do You Agree with the Results???

For those of you who voted day after day and watch the series programs, are you excited about the final results? Personally I am. Here are a few facts shared during the final program that caught my interest: 4 million people cast votes across the search 50,000 joined the Great American Book Club 350,000 of the top 100 books will be distributed through the nation’s PBS stations to students several books took control of their final ranking within the last few days of the event several books were within 24-103 votes of nearby competitors throughout the event 9 high school...

Halloween Word Search

an activity / musings

Halloween Word Search

I love words games. How many listed words can you find hidden on this word search? Each one comes from using some of the letters in Happy Halloween. So far, I’ve found over 90 words using just those letters.   Halloween Word Search F V Y R D H V K N R G U P Y A F T X K Y L S E R N L W E C I G S U D O I P R D P Z E U C H I P O A U C P W O B X A...